


Aftermath

by b_ofdale_archive (b_ofdale)



Series: Aftermath [1]
Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Genre: Belle is wise, Gaston's dead, Gaston's just waiting by the river for someone to save his unconscious ass tbh, I didn't even see the damn movie what am I doing, I want to regret shipping this but I can't, I'm here for Gaston being the sexist douchebag he is, I'm sorry to everyone I'm disappointing right now, LeFou is sad, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Movie(s), and in love btw, and they're best friends, anyway I'm done rambling in these poor tags, because he does in the movie so we're going to pretend none of it ever happened, because he genuinely enjoys LeFou's company, bisexual Gaston ftw, but treating LeFou well, or is he..., this is set in a Gaston-Never-Treated-LeFou-Like-Shit universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-11
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-10-02 14:55:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10220732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/b_ofdale/pseuds/b_ofdale_archive
Summary: It'd felt like the world had stopped.And then, Gaston had been gone anyway.





	

**Author's Note:**

> **Update: I wrote[another fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11619987) about post-movie Gafou, which I believe is much better than this little series. It's my final interpretation, so I'd recommend you read that one instead! :)**
> 
>  
> 
> I should be writing other things but I needed to get this out. The wait for the movie is killing me, so here's a little thing. I'm still testing the waters with this ship, trying to figure out how I interpret it, so things might be a bit different in potential future fics, but maybe they won't!
> 
> Also, I'm not a native speaker and this work isn't beta'd (I usually never post without betaing but I don't know anyone who ships this pairing who'd also agree to edit fanfic), so I apologize for any mistakes! It shouldn't be too terrible, I hope, but I'd rather warn you :) 
> 
> update: the next two parts were edited though!
> 
>  
> 
> **minor live-action spoilers!**

“I'm sorry about Gaston.”

LeFou looked up from his old pocket watch—the only gift Gaston ever made to him—to stare at Belle, confused, blinking away the tears in his eyes. He was sat on a chair in the castle’s ballroom, watching everyone dance. He’d danced, too, but he didn’t feel like dancing anymore.

Belle stood before him, beautiful in her white dress, all of the fear and the pain from the night before vanished with the breaking of the curse. She looked worried. LeFou didn’t understand why she’d worry about _him_. He’d done nothing to deserve her concern. 

Mrs. Pott would say he’d saved her, that he hadn’t hurt anyone—but LeFou wasn’t sure that was enough.

“Why sorry?” LeFou asked, more quietly than he'd meant to. “He was the real monster, you were right. I know he was.”

LeFou bit the inside of his cheek. This was wrong, wasn't it? How he could not bring himself to hate Gaston for what he'd done and tried to do, no matter how hard he tried. LeFou was mad, for sure. But he didn’t _hate_ him.

“He was,” Belle said, softly, though the hurt Gaston caused still lingered in her voice. “But he was your best friend, wasn't he?”

LeFou nodded, somewhat weakly. His eyes fell back on the pocket watch. Gaston had been dangerous, and selfish. He'd been cruel—Hell, he'd been scary. 

He’d never been scared of Gaston before.

He’d never known him like this. He’d felt like Gaston was a stranger, and that had been… strange. It’d felt wrong, and it was. 

Though Gaston had been all that, he'd never treated LeFou badly. He’d been blind, but never mean, never anything that would intentionally hurt his friend. They _had_ been friends—more than friends, even. They'd been brothers, and in his dreams LeFou hoped they could have been more.

LeFou's hand clenched hard on the pocket watch. "He was." He felt his eyes fill themselves with tears again. He didn’t know how on earth he’d managed not to cry yet. “He was.”

They’d known each other for so long. Met before the war, fought in it together when they’d still been young, and came home with all the burdens seeing so much bloodshed had put on their shoulders.

And LeFou—LeFou had loved Gaston since the beginning. He’d loved him when they were boys, young lads running in the streets of Villeneuve. He’d loved him when they cleaned and stitched each other’s wounds during the war. He’d loved him when they sang songs and danced on tables, and in those moments it’d felt like that was the world, and it was theirs. 

For years he’d been awed, inspired by him. For years he’d supported him, encouraged him. He’d been secretly exasperated, too, because Gaston was blind and oblivious, and he’d never seen what was right in front of him. 

Blinded. Utterly, completely blinded. First by himself, and then by Belle, too. LeFou had never understood how Gaston could be so self-absorbed not to notice, but his self-love had been one of the things LeFou had adored about him, as much as he’d sometimes hated it.

But LeFou had not expected what Gaston had become. And yes, he’d loved him, but loving him didn’t mean letting everything go, and it had taken him too long to realize that. 

LeFou had told him, in the end. Before Gaston ran after the Prince, LeFou had told him. He'd grabbed his arm, and begged. 

He'd said, “This is wrong—don't go after the Beast. I don't want you to get hurt. _Please._ ”

Gaston had glared at him and asked, eyes dark, “And _why_ would I do that?”

The words had left his mouth before LeFou could even think of them. He'd just said them, and then realised what he'd done.

He'd gripped Gaston's wrist, looked at him in the eye. “Because you're _wrong_ , _I love you_ and I want us to go _home_ ,” was what he’d said. He’d never sounded more desperate in his life, never been more honest. “Please.”

He’d hoped Gaston would have said something, anything, perhaps even smiled, and turned back. But he didn’t.

Even if LeFou had wanted to, he wouldn't have been able to forget the way Gaston had stared at him; the way his eyes had turned wet for a fraction of a second, the way he'd been at a loss for words. 

It'd felt like the world had stopped. 

And then, he'd been gone anyway.

LeFou shook his head, stood up. He couldn't stay here, he’d already stayed too long. He had to go look—he had to make sure—

"Go," Belle said, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Maybe it’s not too late.”

Those words made his heart beat faster, rough against his ribcage as though ready to burst out. 

_Maybe it’s not too late._ Maybe he survived. 

Once more LeFou looked up at Belle. She was smiling, and she looked kind. Yet, LeFou knew. If by some miracle LeFou happened to believe in Gaston was alive, he wouldn’t be authorized anywhere near her nor the castle, and that, LeFou understood. 

Many lines had been crossed, and though all was well in the end, there was no turning back from them. 

“Thank you, m’lady,” LeFou said, gripping his hand with the other. He made to leave, ready to run, but stopped after a few steps, and turned around. He looked at Belle, and said, “I’m sorry, for everything.”

Belle’s only answer was another small, soft smile. LeFou tried to return it. He didn’t manage to, but he hoped she could see the sincerity of his apology in his eyes. 

Then, fear and anticipation gripping his gut, LeFou found his way out of the castle. 

He didn’t know what would happen, if Gaston had indeed lost his life.

LeFou didn’t know what would happen if he hadn’t, either.

**Author's Note:**

> About the 'teary-eyed Gaston' thing, I actually got that from a TV Spot! I swear to god he's teary-eyed, and I've been speculating about it ever since (edit 16/03: I've seen the movie today and... it was nothing, oops.) When gay LeFou was announced, I hoped that would be the '''gay moment''', with LeFou confessing his love or something, but I got spoiled a few things so I know it's definitely not the case. And given how LeFou is apparently treated by Gaston towards the end, I'm glad I was wrong. Basically, I put my hopes way too high. BUT ANYWAY, this fic quickly goes over what I was hoping to see!
> 
> I'll... probably write a little sequel to this... would you be up for that? Comments are very much appreciated, and they're never too late!! :D
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr [here](http://barduil.tumblr.com)!


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